1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card reader into which an IC card or a magnetic card is loaded and which records information on such a card and reads the information therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the fields of application of IC cards and magnetic cards have come to expand, and in conjunction with this trend, the number of those who insert short cards (hereafter referred to as half cards) other than standard cards, paper scraps, coins, and the like into IC card readers for the purpose of tampering has increased, which constitute causes of the failure of the IC card readers.
As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional IC card reader is comprised of a card inserting portion 16 into which a card 15 is inserted; a slider 17 which moves in interlocking relation to the card 15 upon insertion of the card 15; an ejection spring 18 for urging the card in its ejecting direction; a latch lever 19 adapted to be rotated about a predetermined point 20 and to stop the slider 17 in a state in which the card 15 is inserted up to a reading position; a latch spring 22 for rotating a retaining portion 25 of the latch lever 19 toward a retaining portion 21 of the slider 17; a solenoid 23 for canceling the stopped state of the slider 17; and a lock lever 24 for locking a rear end of the card 15 at a distal end of the slider 17.
However, with the above-described conventional IC card reader which has a card locking mechanism occupying a large area on the lower surface side of an IC contact, a large opening for allowing a half card, a coin, or the like to drop therethrough cannot be provided on the lower surface side of the IC contact.
In addition, if the above-described card locking mechanism portion is mounted on the IC contact side, since the card locking mechanism portion interferes with the IC contact 26 as shown in FIG. 8 and electrical components on a printed circuit board, the card locking mechanism becomes complex.
In addition, with the locking mechanism which locks by the use of mechanical components alone, since the card can be loaded into the IC card reader even during a power failure, and the card reader is locked, the card cannot be removed until the power failure is remedied.
The present invention has been devised to overcome the above-described problems, and its object is to provide an IC card reader having a large opening for allowing a half card or a coin to drop therethrough on the lower surface side of the IC contact, by devising a card locking mechanism in which the lock lever is electrically driven and which has a structure allowing the card locking mechanism to be mounted on the IC contact side.
To attain the above object, a first IC card reader in accordance with the present invention comprises: a lock lever for preventing a card from being drawn out; and a lock lever driving member for driving the lock lever, wherein the lock lever driving member drives the lock lever in a diagonally upward or downward direction with respect to a traveling direction of the card so as to effect a locking operation and an unlocking operation.
In addition, a second IC card reader in accordance with the present invention comprises: a lock lever for preventing a card from being drawn out; and a lock lever driving member for driving the lock lever, wherein the lock lever driving member rotates the lock lever in a traveling direction of the card.
In addition, a third IC card reader in accordance with the present invention comprises: a lock lever for preventing a card from being drawn out; a lock lever driving member for driving the lock lever; and a rotatively driving member for imparting a rotating force to the lock lever driving member, wherein the lock lever driving member has a converting portion for operating the lock lever in a substantially parallel direction upon receiving the rotating force from the rotatively driving member.
In addition, a fourth IC card reader in accordance with the present invention further comprises: a restricting portion for restricting the movement in an unlocking direction at the time of locking.